Captain America - The End
by Cap808
Summary: Captain America is locked in final battle with the Red Skull, and the star-spangled Avenger doesn't walk away from this one. If this is indeed the end, Steve Rogers will take comfort knowing that he is surrounded by friends and comrades. Please read and review!


**Captain America - The End**

 **THEN…**

Captain America struggled against the restraints holding him prone. He wasn't sure what his enemies had used, but it felt like he was restrained by concrete. He looked up to see the maniacal Red Skull and his parter-in-crime, MODOK.

They had raided the United States Camp that Cap and many other soldiers spent the night. Cap and his crew had just crossed over from Poland, and were just a few short miles from Berlin, when the bombs landed on their camp. They had been set up.

The Skull was a strategic genius with super strength. His face was a crimson mask, appearing as if someone had peeled all of the skin off of it. MODOK on the other hand, was a human subjected to experiments granting him supreme intelligence and psionic abilities. Both of these villains were horribly deformed, and the kind of beings that would give normal men nightmares.

Captain America slipped in and out of consciousness as the Skull and MODOK, deciding that they had a literal captive audience, began to boast about their plans to kill thousands of United States soldiers, using a demon he would summon using Cap's blood. The Captain listened quietly, while he planned an exit strategy.

His head spun, and he couldn't get a clear thought, but Cap finally realized that he was actually being held in a cave! It would be tough to break out of a room with no windows, but Cap would never give up. If only he could reach the emergency beacon located in the star on his chest.

"Blah, blah, blah…" Cap shouted. "Don't you get tired of hearing yourself talk, Skull?"

The Skull stopped in mind speech. He didn't have eyelids, so Cap couldn't tell when the Skull's expression changed. The fact that the Skull walked quietly towards him, told Cap all he needed to know.

The Skull pounded his fist on Cap's chest. The white star was such a great target.

"I would have thought that you of all people would have better manners, Captain."

Even with the breath knocked out of him, Cap managed a smile. The Skull was enraged at the Captain's nerve. He then punched Cap in the face, again, and again, and again. The whole time, Cap smiled. The Skull had activated the beacon for him.

 **THEN…**

Iron Man, Thor, the Falcon, Giant-Man, and the Wasp, all raced towards Cap's emergency signal. None of them knew that Cap was on this secret mission, but they would never leave Cap in any kind of bind. Not only was he an Avenger, he was also the one most of them credited for inspiring them to heroics.

Each of these Avengers had a reason to be concerned for Cap. First and foremost was that Cap never activated his beacon. In doing so, he was most definitely in a bad place. He was the heart and soul of the Avengers, and as he thrived, so did they.

Cap had helped Thor bridge the gap between Asgard and Earth. He encouraged Thor to assume a secret identity so that he could walk among the humans, not only getting to know them, but hopefully letting some of them get to know him. Thus, Donald Blake was born.

Iron Man was a spoiled billionaire philanthropist who would have been happy just throwing money at problems. A lucrative band-aid until it was torn off by another problem. Cap showed him how to step up and be a hero, because of Cap, Tony Stark could look at himself in the mirror every morning.

The Falcon felt the closest to Cap. Sam Wilson had always felt an affinity for the sky. When the Avengers were looking for new members, it was Cap who helped the Falcon master his flying skills, and eventually made him his partner. Cap made him what he was today, and the Falcon would never forget it.

Both Giant-Man and the Wasp had met Cap a little later, but Cap made an impact on the both of them. They had always had marital problems that they brought to the Avenger's Mansion, and each time Cap would counsel them. Either one at a time, or together. Their long marriage, and their resulting successes as heroes had a lot to do with Cap's compassion.

Cap wore the red, white, and blue of America, but the Avengers were a universal team for justice. They all shared Cap's ideals when it came to America, its freedoms, and responsibilities. This kind of cohesion is what made them a 'Dream Team'.

 **THEN…**

"Goodbye, Herr Captain!" the Skull shouted as he raised a tremendously large knife above Cap's neck. "This blade has been sharpened using the tombstones of thirteen of history's most vile rulers. It will help drain the life from your body."

This was going to be close. Cap still couldn't move, and the Skull's blade came ever so closer to its intended target. Just then, a bolt of electricity shot through the air and electrocuted the Skull.

It was the Black Widow! The super-spy had somehow gotten into the cave and was here to free Cap! Unfortunately, even though the Skull was currently incapacitated, he had released the knife and it sliced the side of Cap's neck, his blood beginning to drip.

"No!" MODOK yelled. "You stupid cow, you've ruined the enchantment!"

The Black Widow swung down to MODOK and kicked him in the face. The monster crashed into the cave wall, and she electrocuted him as well, incapacitating his computer system. The Widow took in her surroundings, the two villains were down, but something was happening at the back of the cave.

Dark energy crackled and the Widow saw a portal beginning to open. The first thing that came out was a single claw, then it was a second claw. Then it was a demonic face, then two demonic faces, and then dozens of demonic faces.

"Oh no," the Widow whispered as she began to hammer away at Cap's stone restraints.

"Thanks for the assist, Widow," Cap said.

"Don't thank me yet, Cap. I don't know how we're going to get out of this one."

Cap picked up his shield that the Skull had disrespectfully disregarded on the ground.

"We'll be fine, Widow," Cap grinned. "Our friends are here."

On cue, Thor, Iron Man, Falcon, Giant-Man, and the Wasp, all rushed into the cave. Cap and the Widow joined him, and together, the Avengers began to push back the forces of Hell. Cap shouted a primal scream. This was what he lived for!

 **NOW…**

"And that…" the grizzled war veteran wheezed, "Is how the Avengers and I stopped Satan and his hordes from taking over the world."

The young reporter, Peter Parker, listened in amazement to this old timer. His Uncle Ben had once told him about the former super-soldier living in the nursing home. Apparently this soldier lied himself into the Army and even being a tiny little guy, had run off some of the most successful missions in Army history.

While daydreaming, Peter didn't realize a spider crawled onto his hand. The soldier, Steve Rogers, slapped at the spider and killed it before it could bite Peter. Good thing too, because Peter was allergic to spider bites, among a list of other things.

"Caught you napping there, Spider-Man," Steve joked. "These little bastards sting like the dickens if you give them a chance."

Peter looked around the Army hospice. It was old, and gloomy, and Peter was sure there were more than spiders lurking in the many crevices in the walls.

He thought it was cute that the old soldier called him 'Spider-Man'. It sounded cool. Good thing it wasn't a roach, because 'Roach-Man' didn't have the same ring to it.

"Thank you, Steve," Peter gushed. "For all of your time, and all of your stories."

"They're not stories, Peter," Steve said. "It's history."

Steve winked at Peter as Steve's orderly came to wheel him away. The orderly was a large, muscular man with long blonde hair. The young man looked like some sort of chiseled god. Peter felt uneasy around him, he felt like he knew the man somehow.

"Let's go, Donald!" Steve tried to shout. "Avengers Assemble!"

As Steve was wheeled back to his bed shared in the large, common dorm, his doctor came to talk to Peter. The man was bald, but had a very intelligent look about him.

"Thank you again for letting me visit Steve, Dr. Xavier." Peter said.

"Please, Peter," the doctor said. "I'm his psychologist, and in this environment we try not to trigger his PTSD, so please feel free to call me Charles."

"Thank you, Charles," Peter said timidly. "Today seemed like a good day for Steve. His stories were so vivid, I could almost see his comrades in the Avengers."

Charles laughed, "Ha! The Avengers. I love when he talks about them."

Charles paused. "Walk with me, Peter. I'd like to show you something."

The two began to walk down the middle of the room, surrounded by many of the old, dying soldiers. The man who had wheeled Steve away was coming back their way, and Peter just couldn't help the feeling of deja vu.

Charles noticed Peter staring.

"Donald look familiar to you?" Charles asked.

Peter was surprised by the statement.

"Yes," he admitted shyly. "He does."

Charles chuckled. "He should. Would you say that he could be a heroic norse god?"

Peter's jaw dropped. "Thor?"

Charles nodded. "HIs real name is Donald Blake, but Steve gave him the identity of Thor."

Peter was stunned. He didn't know what to say.

"Remember," Charles continued. "Steve has suffered through major trauma, triggering a pretty severe case of PTSD."

Peter just stared at Charles, wishing he would talk faster, but also wishing he would just shut up.

"When Steve was rescued by the Navy SEALS," Charles began again, "They had found him in a foxhole with the remains of two dead Nazi's. One of them had his face burned off, and the other was just a torso. Steve was trapped, staring at them for days. We can only imagine what that must have been like."

Peter felt weak.

"We believe it's what triggered his Captain America persona," Charles said grimly. "It gave him an escape from their dead eyes continuously staring at him."

Charles then lifted his hands to emphasize the people in the room.

"Since then, his stories have grown," Charles then points at a man who was being assisted in his breathing by a large iron machine.

"This man, Tony," Charles said. "He can't breathe on his own, he needs this iron lung. Steve likes him. And I believe shortly thereafter we began to hear his stories about Iron Man."

Then Charles points at another man lying in bed. "That's Sam Wilson. He is of the famed Tuskagee Airmen. Shortly after having breakfast with him, Steve began to talk about the winged Falcon."

These revelations were too much for Peter. He quickly rushed towards Steve's bed as Charles chased after him. Arriving at Steve's bed, Peter saw Steve tucked in and talking to two doctors. One was a very tall man, kind of a nerd, and next to him was a gorgeous, petite woman. Peter didn't want to interrupt.

Charles caught up with him. "I know this is a lot to take in, Peter, but don't bring it up to Steve. Let him have this. Case in point there - the tall doctor? Giant-Man. His much shorter wife? The Wasp. Having never been married, Steve still likes to give them marriage advice."

"I thought Steve had another doctor as his surgeon?" Peter asked.

"Yes," Charles answers. "These two are just med students who are here as a part of their undergraduate studies. Steve has a great surgeon. A Dr. Stephen Strange."

Peter just nodded. The shock was beginning to wear off. The stories he had grown to love, where coming true, and the heroes were coming to life!

Peter began to tear up. "Uh, Charles, are there any other 'heroes' I should know about?"

Charles thought for a second and said, "I have a group of orphans in another wing that I work with as well. Steve calls them my students, my little X-Men."

Peter laughed at the man's imagination. It made sense, though. Steve was a great artist and loved to draw cartoon characters.

Peter nods absently as he watches the husband and wife team leave Steve's side, and then a nurse sneaks over to Steve and slips him something. She winks at him and darts away.

"That's Natasha," Charles whispers. "She just snuck Steve some candy. Mind you, there's no rule about him not having candy, but he always thought Natasha looked like one of the Bond girls."

"The Black Widow," Peter says, almost too loudly.

Charles laughs and taps Peter on the back. "Now you're getting it."

Peter begins to feel better about the whole situation, but his heart sinks into his stomach when Steve starts to shout.

"There he is again!" Steve screams hysterically. "He's coming through the wall again!"

Steve points at the wall across him, and everyone in the hospice, including Peter and Charles, look at the wall. There was nothing, or no one, there."

"He's just staring at me!" Steve cried. "Make him stop!"

Doctors Hank and Janet rush over to Steve and administer a sedative. Steve's eyes roll up into his head, and he passes out.

"Don't let that bother you, Peter," Charles says. "We'll make him as comfortable as we can over the next few hours. The surgery is scheduled for tomorrow morning, and…"

Charles swallows the lump in his throat, "And if he pulls through, I'm sure he'll be happy to see you in a couple of days."

Peter wasn't ashamed to wipe the tears from his eyes. He shook Charles' hand and turned to leave. He bumped into a man with dark sunglasses and a cane.

"Excuse me," Peter said. "I'm sorry."

The man smiled and waved Peter's apology away. "No apology necessary. A blind lawyer like me navigating a busy hospital without an escort? I don't know why I insist on acting like some sort of Daredevil."

Peter chuckles and pick's up the man's paperwork. Charles seems to know the man.

"Thank you for coming, Matthew," Charles smiles. "Who's will are you going to update today?"

Matt Murdock fixed his tie, "That grouchy old man, Logan."

Charles laughed. "Again? I'm beginning to think that guy is going to outlive us all."

With that, Peter thanked Charles again. His whole life was changed by this experience. Steve was a good man with high morals. His alter ego of Captain America reflected that. This started out as a human interest piece for the Daily Bugle, but Peter had to rethink what he was going to do with this very special story.

Just then, a hearse sped past Peter, narrowly missing him, and then coming to a screeching halt. A young man jumped out of the hearse and then climbed up the stairs of the shuttle bus that Peter was about to get on. The bus drove them off base and to the civilian parking lot just outside of the base.

"Sorry about that close call, bro," the driver said.

"It's okay," Peter said. "No harm done."

"You look familiar," the driver said. "Did we go to school together?"

"No," Peter said. "I would have remembered your face, and that cool leather jacket. Anyway, my name's Peter."

Peter reached out his hand to shake, because deep down he knew that was something that Steve would do. The driver reached out to shake Peter's hand.

"My name's Johnny. Johnny Blaze."

"Nice to meet you, Johnny," I hope this is the first of many rides with you.

Johnny smiled and shrugged. This nerd was weird. Oh well, he had to hurry up with this drop off. He was so hungry he would sell his soul for a pizza.

 **THE END…FOR NOW**


End file.
